


The thaw

by Sadfangirl



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-24 16:17:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4926508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadfangirl/pseuds/Sadfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After almost getting killed on mission Felicity decided that it's time her boys make up.</p>
<p>Based on dialogue in the Arrow season 4 trailer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The thaw

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Arrow.

"You two almost got yourself killed out there tonight, because you didn't have each other's backs"

 

Felicity was pissed. Really pissed. She couldn't believe what just happened. She looked at Oliver and John and shook her head. Both men suddenly felt like schoolboys being told off by teacher.

"Felicity, I.." John began

"No" she shouted "You two need to short this out, before one or both of you is killed."

She stopped to take a breath and spoke more calmly "If you won't do it for yourselves, do it for me. I don't want either one of you dead. Or both. Now, go and get changed and I'll try and calm down. Then we're going to talk about this." 

Oliver and John walked away in opposite directions to take off their gear.

Thea and Laurel, who had been hanging back, walked forward to Felicity's station. Thea was on the verge of tears, she'd grown really close to John Diggle while Oliver and Felicity were away. "How do we fix this?" Thea asked.

"They have to fix it themselves" Felicity stated "But I think it's time that I give them both a push in that direction. As you heard, I used my loud voice. Neither one of them like that. At all."

She placed a hand on Thea's arm "They'll be OK Thea. We've been through far too much for this to not be fixed. I'll sort them out. I know Oliver wants to fix this. And if that fails, I'll call Lyla, she's my secret weapon."

Thea laughed. She could see, yet again, why her brother was so smitten. 

"Let's go" said Laurel "I think we should let Felicity handle this. I'll buy you a late dinner."

Felicity smiled as she watched the 2 women leave. It was great to have female company in the lair, but a small part of her knew that her "team arrow" would always be her, Oliver and Diggle. Others came and went, like Roy, and Sara and the Central City Crew, and now Thea and Laurel, but she knew that it would always return to the three of them at the core. 

This distance between the 2 most important men in her life had gone on long enough. It was time to put the family back together.

Felicity walked to the small fridge she'd installed and pulled out 2 bottles of beer. She had a simple plan. She would let them have her very loud voice then leave them to bond over it.

They both approached the small table. Oliver leaned over to try and kiss her, but she shooed him away. "Not tonight lover boy" she said, "you're in the dog house tonight."

Oliver pouted and responded with a "But Felicity..." but she was having none of it. He quickly backed off, gauging her mood. 

John sad down at the opposite end of the table and grabbed one of the beers.

"Right you two" Felicity started raising her voice again, knowing the reaction it got from both of them. "This has gone on long enough and it ends tonight. Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to leave after I've said my piece and you are both going to talk to each other. Properly. But before that happens you're going to listen to me.  John, yes, what Oliver did to Lyla and Sara was beyond shitty. And he knows exactly what I think about it. Oliver was an idiot and didn't think. He's very sorry."

Oliver and John looked at each other for a second, both sharing the same thought, how could Felicity keep that level of loud voice up and yet talk so quickly. Felicity ignored their look and continued, but knew this was a good start.

"And John, you know what was at stake for Oliver. Thea's life was at stake. The city was at stake." She quietened at this point, continuing "I know you, you'd do anything for Sara and Lyla, but what if it had been Andy? You have every right to be pissed at Oliver, but please, put yourself in his shoes for one second and ask yourself, what lengths would you have gone to to try and save your brother?"

John's shock at the statement was evident on his face - it felt like a slap. He'd never thought about it that way. Would he have put Oliver or Felicity in danger if there was a chance to save his brother. He didn't like the answer that creeped into his mind one little bit.

Felicity continued, turning to Oliver "And you, you have no right to be pissed at him. At all. I know you were backed into a corner, and that Lyla was in no danger. But you shouldn't have shut us out on the plan. You need to trust us. With everything."

Felicity was calmer now. She started to speak in her normal voice. "Right, I'm going home. You two need to talk now. John will you please bring Oliver home, in one piece if possible, when you're done?" As John nodded she leaned over to her boyfriend, giving him a quick kiss "And.." she said, pointing at Oliver "if you don't sort this out, prepare to sleep on the couch for a while." 

"And you.." she turned to John "any more of this and I call Lyla."

With that she turned and walked out the door, not looking back.

Oliver, despite himself, smiled. 

"I've missed her" said Digg quietly "I forgot just how much of a spitfire she is."

Oliver nodded in agreement "You were right you know" Oliver told his friend

"What instance are you talking about this time?" Diggle asked

"When you told me that love was about finding the right person and that I'd be ready for them." Oliver said

"I think I was talking about Felicity, even then." Diggle stated "I knew, from the first time I saw you two together that there was something there. Then, her first real night in the lair when she stood up to you and walked out - and  your reaction, running right after her to bring her back - well, I'd have to be blind and dumb not to see it."

"I didn't" said Oliver.

"Oh, yes you did, you just didn't want to accept it." John chuckled, remembering the team coming together "You could never stay away from that girl. It just took you a while to understand."

"I know, I'm an idiot." Oliver then decided to get serious "I am an idiot, you know that, don't you. And I'm really really sorry. I was backed into a corner, and all of your lives where at stake, including Sara's. I know they had orders to take you all out if my loyalty was in question, even for one second. They were watching you both constantly. Listening, all the time. It was never about trust, it was always about keeping you both safe. One wrong word and it would have been over for all of us. I just couldn't risk it. I've lost too much. You and Felicity are as much my family as Thea is."

John thought for a moment. He had a lot to say to Oliver. He took a sip of his beer to gather his thought together. Their friendship, which he missed dreadfully, was at stake.

"What Felicity just said to me about Andy, I never thought of it that way. Losing Andy almost killed me. I don't know what I'd have done, what I would have sacrificed to save him. How far I'd have gone. Would I have put you or Felicity into the firing line? I can't say I wouldn't have. And that scares me."

"It scares me too" Oliver said "How dark I had to go. How much I needed to sacrifice to beat Ra's. You've no idea how sorry I am, and I hate us not working together as a team anymore."

"Even when we're out there, we're not out there together" said Diggle wistfully, "We're going to get ourselves, or someone else killed. And I don't want that."

"Neither of us do, because Felicity will use her loud voice again, and that's not fun" Oliver said, trying to lighten the mood.

Diggle smiled. "Do you remember when it was just the two of us down here?" 

"You mean before Felicity?" Oliver asked, as John nodded.

"She brought us back to life, you and I. We were both lost in our own pain, in the dark, trying to save the city. She brought light into the lair, literally and figuratively. She pushed us both to be better, to live. She saved us."

Diggle continued "We have to get over this for her, well, I have to. I owe her."

Oliver wanted to reassure his friend "Don't worry John. She's given me a very hard time for all of it. She might be a ball of sunshine, but she's as strong as steel and doesn't shy away from anything."

Then John had another thought "Oh shit, she's going to tell Lyla if we don't fix this. One badass woman on my back is bad enough, both of them, I have no chance." 

Both men laughed. It felt good, they were talking like they use to. Diggle took another sip of his beer and decided to ask something that was bothering him.

"So, when are you going to wife her?" Diggle asked

Oliver burst out laughing. "Is it that obvious?"

"What did I just tell you, I've known for years that she's the one for you. I'm just surprised that, during your time away, you didn't lock her down."

"I was planning to" Oliver replied. "I had the whole thing worked out. Then Thea and Laurel turned up and the plan went to shit. Next thing we know I'm back here fighting and there hasn't been the right moment since."

John started laughing as Oliver continued "You know, if they'd have been even 5 minutes later I would have gotten that ring on her finger."

"Do it now man" Diggle stated "Go home, in fact I'll take you, and do it right now. Don't wait."

"But..." Oliver started but he was cut off.

"Life's far too short. Including holding grudges with your brother. Just don't do it again, OK?"

Both men stood up and hugged. And they felt the weight lift from both of them.

 

John was opening his door when his phone buzzed. He checked the message and smiled.

"She said yes"

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews and kudos feed my muse.


End file.
